Detective Conan: An Investigative Anime Series!

Detective Conan: Reviewed Kudou Shinichi is an extremely popular 11th-grader who dreams of being the world's next Sherlock Holmes. The son of a famous mystery novelist and lovely actress, Shinichi has made a name for himself as a brilliant detective, always helping the police solve baffling mysteries much like his idol Holmes. This obsession with crime-solving tends to grate on his pseudo-girlfriend Mouri Ran's nerves, though. She can't help but feel a bit threatened by Shinichi's dangerous lifestyle...and by the popularity it brings. So she jumps at the chance to get Shinichi alone on a "date" to an amusement park where, much to her dismay, a murder occurs that Shinichi *naturally* solves. However, when Ran and Shinichi split up for just a short time, Shinichi witnesses a suspicious negotiation between two mysterious men in black. He is caught eavesdropping, and is poisoned by the two men and left to die. However, rather than killing Shinichi, the poison reverts him back into an elementary-school boy! Bent on finding the mysterious men in black again, and discover a cure to the poison, Shinichi takes on the name Edogawa Conan and lives a double life as "Shinichi's cousin," in order to keep his survival a secret from those that poisoned him. He is taken under the care of Ran and her father, Kougoro, a burnt-out, divorced detective who is past his prime. On the road to finding those mysterious men in black, Conan and his friends solve case after case, all while keeping his true identity a secret. My purpose in this review is not only to give you a good idea of what this series is essentially like ... but honestly, I'm going to try to convince you with all of my being that this is one series that is worth watching every. Damned. Episode. Yes. All three-freakin'-hundred-something of them. And the movies. All--what, seven of them? Eight? Let me first tell you how I stumbled across this series. It was actually because I bought one of the soundtracks with the theme song collections on it. Detective Conanhas the best theme songs of any anime series out there, and the animation to go with them (especially around season 10 or so) is breath-taking and downright AWESOME. Just watching the theme song for this show makes my blood pump! The adrenaline rush from this show is unbelieveable! I'm totally getting ahead of myself here. Seldom does an anime series remain engaging after two seasons. I can only think of ... oh, one series that did that for me other than this one, and that's Rurouni Kenshin. But that quickly died after the Kyoto arc. Here we've got a series that's been going since 1996, and still has a strong, solid following. Its fanbase hasn't died out; it's only grown larger, and internationally widespread. During these past few years of college, I've lived as the only white girl around a ton of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean international students. Something they all had in common: they've all watched Detective Conan. It was something we could use to bond with each other, something we could all enjoy and agree on. Detective Conan's plot is the same for every episode, but the difference with it is, like the long-running hit prime-time series Law & Order, it stays fresh each go-'round. Think of it like Encyclopedia Brown, but with murders or kidnappings. But that doesn't do it justice. Some might be turned off initially by the character designs. Frankly, the untrained anime viewing eye would not consider Ran to be a cute girl, or Shinichi to be a cutie. The designs are nearly identical to the manga, with strange "not-quite-there" noses, huge, ungleamy round eyes, and what I've heard as "jug ears." The character designs are far from typical, but they're so distinctive, you can't picture the story told any other way. This series' writing and plotline is so strong, it doesn't need to rely on eye-candy as a vehicle. The characters are lovable. Simply. There's not really any obvious angst in the episodes...the writers are really good at leaving it up for viewer speculation, because oh, is the potential there! However, the writers are indulgent enough to give us a glimpse of the struggle Shinichi and Ran are going through during their prolonged separation. There's no hiding it, the two are totally sweet on each other, and the viewer wants nothing more than to root for Shinichi to get cured so he can finally look Ran in the face again and ease her anxieties. (But at the same time, we don't want the series to end! It must go on FOREVER! Waaah!) Sadly, I haven't even gotten to the episodes where one of the most popular characters, Haibara Ai (played by Hayashibara Megumi) joins the cast. I've been told this is one of her most popular roles, and seldom do I see a Newtype magazine without both her and Conan on the list of most popular anime characters. All I really know about Ai is that she is somehow involved with the poison that turned Shinichi into a little boy. The animation is average towards the beginning of the series. I mean, come on, it's the mid 1990s! It's actually quite good, considering. I have seen later episodes (specifically, episode 314 and an hour special titled "11 Million Hostages.") and the animation is stellar. Even just the theme songs! The THEME SONGS! Now, despite its incredible and violent crimes (seriously, Tokyo has got to have the largest number of disturbing murders in the world!) and its even more incredible resolutions, Detective Conan has one major flaw that haunts a good 1/4th of all of its episodes: those fucking annoying kids that Conan is forced to hang out with in order to bring in the 5-12 year-old Nielson (or would that be Yamamoto) Ratings. GYAAAAAH! I hate those moronic kids! See, once Conan moves in with Ran and her dad, he starts going to elementary school to keep up his charade. There he somehow gets involved with 3 of the most vexatious turds you'd ever want to slap around like red-headed stepchildren. The little girl is okay, but fatty and horse-face could have been shot in the back of their heads and I wouldn't have shed any tears. I actually would have applauded. Soon those little wankers see how smart Conan truly is, and then try to grab on to some of his grade school notoriety by starting up their own "Youth Detective Squad" or something just as gay. The crimes that they stumble into are just as horrendous as the ones that Conan detects his way through at Mouri's side, but the kids always try to ruin things by stepping in the evidence, pissing off Conan, or getting caught by the perpetrator of the misdeed. That gets old reaaaaaally fast. But, there's one shining star that just about makes up for the kids' stupidity-filled chapters: the great Sonoko. God do I love her! Sonoko Suzuki is Ran's and Shinichi's rich friend who thinks that she's all that, mainly because she is. Whenever Conan and Ran fall knee-deep into a mystery and Sonoko is around, good things are bound to happen. It's always hilarious when Conan has to knock Sonoko out and solve the crime for everybody in her voice. I don't know why that tickles me like it does, but it does. I'm so simple to please. My favorite episode so far is the one where both Sonoko had to be used to solve the episode's crime, and the Kaito Kid showed up. My God, was it glorious!!! Oh, and we mustn't forget about Ai Haibara and Shinichi/Conan's parents. Firstly, Ai is a mysterious 7 year-old girl who mysteriously shows up at around episode 130 and totally fubars Conan's world. How she got there and who she really is is one of the greatest plot twists in the show, so I won't ruin it for you. I will talk about Shinichi's parents though. His dad is a world renowned mystery novelist (where Shinichi got his love of all things Sir Arthur Conan Doyley), and his mom is an ex-model or movie star or something. Well, Shinichi/Conan's parents (along with Dr. Asaga) are among the handful of people who actually know what happened to the boy, and whenever mom and dad come into town (i.e. whenever they're not book signing around the world, which is of course like always) they screw with their kid's mind something fierce. I love those episodes (although they are few and far between). Either Shinichi's dad will wait until his son explains away a whole mystery and then step forward with a crucial piece of information that totally negate's his heir's claim, or the two 'rents will costume themselves up and test their son's detective skillz with a madcap made-up crime of their own. Ingenious!! Throw into the whole mix lots of Japanese pop star cameos and a bunch of special guest spots including the previously mentioned Kaito Kid and Shinichi's equivalent from Osaka, Heiji Hattori, and you have a pretty good anime stew. Plus, it is beyond amazing that with each crime you have anywhere between 3 to 10 new characters, each with a unique character design and you have one giant and impressive roster of people to keep straight in your head. Honestly, I can't think back to the first 50+ episodes and remember who did the crimes! I can still remember how they were done, just not who. That just adds to the replay value... If I ever find the time to rewatch this whole thing once I eventually do get through it. *Deep breath... Almost done* Now on to the crimes themselves. Detective Conan has two main kinds of wrongdoings that need to be dealt with: First, there are the "who-dunnit" crimes; Then there are the "how-the-hell-did-they-do-it" crimes. The who-dunnits have a pretty big sized cast of prospective baddies (where the evilest-looking one is not usually the perp), and Conan has to solve the whys, the hows and the whos before the wrong person is dragged down or before Mouri makes a total ass of himself. The how-the-hell-did-they-do-its are pretty fun to figure out too. These are crimes in which we know from the beginning who did the misdeed, but they have great alibis that Conan must crack. Sometimes it's just amazing to see how that kid thinks. I wish that I was that bright when I was his age... Or now. Man, I would have found out who's been stealing my PB&J sandwiches out of the office fridge long before I had to resort to filling one up with a heavy laxative and locking up the restrooms (turned out it was Carl, and yes, he did beat the shit out of me for that when he deductively figured out that it was me who laced the sandwich with poop powder... By reading the name on the lunchbag). But what puts Detective Conan as my #1 all-time favorite anime (so far) is the superb writing. I soak up Detective Conan like a good book, I get so drawn into every episode that everything around me just sinks away and it's just me and the episode. It's engrossing. I can't think of another word for it. Like I said, every episode is fresh, and every mystery that is solved is profound. The kid's a prodigy, and you can't blink while watching an episode of this wonderful series--or you'll miss something important, no doubt. "Shinjitsu wa itsumo hitotsu." There is only one truth. Detective Conan is one long-running anime series that is, unusually, NOT over-rated. And that is a fact. I need moooore ... mooooooooooore!!!!! Recommended Audience: I would say kids 13 and up is an appropriate audience. This one is for both girls and boys. Not too heavy on the action, smart enough to appeal to the intellectuals, but not too smart to overwhelm those that simply want to be entertained. Conan is also a great mirror of what Japanese life is really like. It's not too exaggerated, and doesn't patronize viewers at all, like some anime titles do. You can be in ANY mood to watch this title ... if I've got a list of new anime episodes to watch -- even with magical girl shows -- Conan is ALWAYS the first one I watch.

Anime Invasion!

Aside from eating sweets, I have to admit, I'm an anime lover! I love to watch anime shows. Since my childhood, I have been hooked by these shows. They bring me a feeling that I'm still young.( but I'm still really young!).Watching anime shows widens my imaginations to the things in this world. They make my imaginations wild, (not like that of animals you think). In the world of anime, everything is impossible. EVERYTHING

I love  because I can relate to the characters, and also because they can do other-worldly things that we can only dream of! The story lines are also super developed and surprising, almost every single time. And theres always humor, drama and romance thrown into each one! How could it get any better. Anime shows bring your imagination soar to new heights.

 

Above all, I could not express or even state the reason and the secret why animes are fun and interesting to me. It's a mystery to solve!

What a strange feeling! All the anime lovers, like me, I know that you will agree with me, that anime are really wonderful and fun thing we enjoy much.

Anime is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons.

 While the earliest known Japanese animation dates to 1917, and many original Japanese cartoons were produced in the ensuing decades, the characteristic anime style developed in the 1960s—notably with the work of Osamu Tezuka—and became known outside Japan in the 1980s.

Anime, like manga, has a large audience in Japan and recognition throughout the world. Distributors can release anime via television broadcasts, directly to video, or theatrically, as well as online.

Both hand-drawn and computer-animated anime exist. It is used in television series, films, video, video games, commercials, and internet-based releases, and represents most, if not all, genres of fiction. As the market for anime increased in Japan, it also gained popularity in East and Southeast Asia. Anime is currently popular in many different regions around the world.

 

According to Wikipedia, the history of anime began at the start of the 20th century, when Japanese filmmakers experimented with the animation techniques that were being explored in the West. During the 1970s, anime developed further, separating itself from its Western roots, and developing distinct genres such as mecha and its Super Robot sub-genre. Typical shows from this period include Lupin III and Mazinger Z. During this period several filmmakers became famous, especially Hayao Miyazaki and Mamoru Oshii.

In the 1980s, anime was accepted in the mainstream in Japan, and experienced a boom in production. The rise of Gundam, Macross, Real Robot, Dragon Ball, and Space Opera set a boom as well. The film AkiraSteamboy, and later took over as the most expensive anime film. The Super Dimension Fortress Macross also became a worldwide success after being adapted as part of Robotech, and Megazone 23 also gained recognition in the West after it was adapted as Robotech: The Movie set records in 1988 for the production costs of an anime film and went on to become a success worldwide. Later, in 2004, the same creators produced.

In the 1990s and 2000s, anime series such as Dragon Ball, Sailor Moon, Pokémon, as well as films like Ghost in the Shell became worldwide successes, while other anime series such as Gundam, Macross, Neon Genesis Evangelion and Cowboy Bebop were popular in Japan and attracted attention from the West. A number of animations have been produced in the West, and the growth of the internet also led to the rise of fansub anime. Spirited Away shared the first prize at the 2002 Berlin Film Festival and won the 2003 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, while Innocence: Ghost in the Shell was featured at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival

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Sweet delights!

 

 

 

Sweets are really delightful to my tastebuds. Everytime I see, especially eat chocolate, candies, cakes, gummies and everything that are sweet, what a unexplainable feeling I could not express! Sweets serve as my energizers. They are really eye catchers. Candies, chocolates and everything that are sweet bring me into the clouds (too exag, isn't it?).

Do you know that according to wikipedia, even though chocolate is regularly eaten for pleasure, there are potentially a lot of health effects, both negative and positive. Cocoa or dark chocolate may positively affect the circulatory system.Other possible effects under basic research include anticancer, brain stimulator, cough preventor and antidiarrhoeal activities. An aphrodisiac effect is yet unproven.

According to research, limited amounts of dark chocolate appear to help prevent heart disease. The oxidation of LDL cholesterol is considered a major factor in the promotion of coronary disease. When this waxy substance oxidizes, it tends to stick to artery walls, increasing the risk of a heart attack or stroke. Research has shown the polyphenols in chocolate inhibit oxidation of LDL cholesterol.

On the other hand, the unconstrained consumption of large quantities of any energy-rich food, such as chocolate, without a corresponding increase in activity, is thought to increase the risk of obesity. Raw chocolate is high in cocoa butter, a fat which is removed during chocolate refining, then added back in varying proportions during the manufacturing process. Manufacturers may add other fats, sugars, and milk as well, all of which increase the caloric content of chocolate.

Chocolate absorbs lead from the environment during production, and there is a slight concern of mild lead poisoning for some types of chocolate. The average lead concentration of cocoa beans was a very low ≤ 0.5 ng/g, one of the lowest reported values for a natural food. Lead concentration of chocolate was as high as 70 ng/g for chocolate products and 230 ng/g for manufactured cocoa. 200,000 ng is the WHO tolerable daily limit for lead consumption. Additionally, chocolate is toxic to many animals because of insufficient capacity to metabolize theobromine.

A BBC report indicated that melting chocolate in one's mouth produced an increase in brain activity and heart rate that was more intense than that associated with passionate kissing, and also lasted four times as long after the activity had ended.

In later research, chocolate has been linked with multiple health benefits and liabilities. Research on elderly people showed chocolate might cause osteoporosis. However, more research has shown that it will boost cognitive abilities. Further, dark chocolate and cocoa butter have been linked with multiple positive effects. Scientific evidence has suggested dark chocolate can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems and also reduce blood pressure in both overweight and normal adults. Finally, studies have shown dark chocolate can lower cholesterol levels in adults.

In August 2011, Cambridge research published in the British Medical Journal: Eating high levels of chocolate could be associated with a significant reduction in the risk of certain cardiovascular disorders.

Meanwhile, Methods of Healing, cited in its website the top 10 healthiest sweets, and here are the following:

1. Blueberries – Blueberries are naturally sweet, and chock full of vitamins and minerals that you need. Eat these daily if possible.
2. Apples – Apples, like Blueberries, are naturally sweet. You know the old adage, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away!”
3. Sweet Potatoes – Amazingly, although the word ‘sweet’ is in their name, most people don’t consider sweet potatoes as sweets! They do have a sweet flavor to them, and if you add a little honey, you can make them even naturally sweeter.
4. Dark Chocolate – Dark chocolate has numerous health benefits, especially for the heart. It is important to know the difference between dark chocolate and other chocolates, because other chocolates do not have the same health benefits.
5. Protein Bars – While not all protein bars are sweet, some do have sweetness to them. Because they are packed full of protein and vitamins, these are especially healthy sweets.
6. Dried Fruit Snacks – Fruit in just about any form is good for you, and it is naturally sweet. While you must be aware of calorie content, you should indulge in dried fruit snacks often.
7. Sugar Free Candy – While not all sugar free candy is good for you, none of it is bad for you because it contains no sugar. It is important to avoid sugar free snacks that have a lot of additives, however.
8. Sweet Tarts – Sweet tarts actually contain concentrated fruit juice and natural sugars. Many of them don’t contain any added sugars at all, getting their sweetness from the juice concentrates.
9. Sugar Free Hot Chocolate – Hot chocolate is good for you – especially if it is made from dark chocolate. The sugar free type is the healthiest
10. Sugar Free Gelatin – Gelatin that is sugar free usually has a sugar substitute in it, but it also has some level of juice or fruit content as well, which makes it healthy.

For everyone who are delighted to sweets like me, and at the same time, health consciuos person, avoid eating too much of sweets. But if you can't help and refrain from doing so, minimize eating ( I hope you can do so....) As the Filipino saying goes, "Ang lahat ng sobra ay masama".